Frequently Asked Questions - Phone English

My English level

Must I have a good level of English to join?

No, not necessarily, but you will need to be able to speak to and understand your teacher. Usually we find that students who have 1 or 2 years of English or who are of pre-intermediate level or above should benefit greatly from our service.

My English is already quite good – how will the lessons benefit me?

Phone English specialises in helping you to learn and improve your spoken English and listening skills. A 1-1 lesson means that it is just you and a teacher and so the lesson will be highly targeted towards meeting your individual needs: the perfect way to practise, improve and learn to speak English. You’ll be able to make yourself understood more easily and you will be able to improve your understanding of English. So whether you are learning for business or personal reasons, we’re here to help!

Can I use Phone English just to learn or practise English conversation?

Yes, of course. With Phone English, you’re in charge. If you’d like to use us to help you maintain your level of English, please do! Just a lesson a week will do it.

Getting started

Can I enrol at any time?

Yes, of course! We enrol new students every day. We’d love to hear from you too. Simply go to the sign up today page by clicking here.

I don’t have a credit card. Can I still sign up?

Yes, if you have a friend with a credit card who gives you their permission to use it. You’ll need to make sure all details on the credit card form are completed correctly. Phone English uses a Secure Server that encrypts your personal card details for all web transactions, so you can give you card details in confidence.

Can I pay by other means, such as a bank transfer?

Yes. If you don’t have a credit card, or if you don’t like using your card details over the internet, you can pay for lessons by bank transfer. Please email us at info@phone-english.net and we will send you our bank details and instructions on how to pay.

Do I have to have all my lessons together?

No – you can take your lessons when you want. All we ask is that you complete your block of lessons within 6 months of signing up. Which is easy if you are keen on improving your English!

Booking lessons

How soon can I book my lessons? How many can I book at once?

When you enrol with us, we send you a link to our current timetable. On the timetable you will see the teachers and the different times that they are available. You can book each lesson individually or you can book a series of lessons. You can book a lesson with a teacher at the same time every day if you want to (providing they are available, of course!)

When can I start my lessons?

You can start you lessons as soon as you have received your enrolment confirmation and timetable. Simply choose the teacher you’d like to have your first lesson and email us with your request.

I need to cancel my booked lesson? What do I do?

Just send us an email to info@phone-english.net at least 8 hours before your lesson begins and we will re-credit your lesson. Unfortunately lessons cancelled within 8 hours are counted and cannot be re-credited.

Can I change my teacher?

Yes, after you have finished your lesson, you can book your next lesson with a different teacher, depending on who is available at the time you want your next lesson. Simply email us your choice of time and teacher.

Can I get a refund if I decide not to continue with my lessons?

If you decide that Phone English is not for you, simply send us an email within 14 days of your lesson purchase. We will cancel your lessons and issue a refund for the remaining lessons.

Do you use GMT?

Yes – all our lessons are based on GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), or BST (British Summer Time) which is GMT + 1. To find out the time difference between the current UK time and the time where you are, simply click on the link below, which will take you to the world time server: http://www.worldtimeserver.com/current_time_in_GB.aspx

How do you phone me? Are there any extra phone charges?

Are there any extra phone charges?

No. The cost of the call is included in the lesson price to these countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Rubublic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States , Venezuela, Zambia If you live outside these countries, please email us with your name and the country you live in. Then we can tell you how much your lesson will be! If you have Skype we can call you anywhere in the world for free.

Can you call me on my normal phone?

Yes. If you live in one of the listed countries (see above). However, if you have Skype you can make free phone calls to other Skype users, over the Internet. Also, there is an instant message service between Skype users, which can be useful in our lessons with you. Call quality is usually excellent so this is good news for everyone!

I want to learn to speak English by Skype. What do I need to get Skype?

You will need to have a broadband internet connection and a computer. To find out how easy it is, just click here: http://www.skype.com/helloagain.html. All you need is the free Skype software and a phone or headset and you can talk for free. And not just to us – but to anyone else with Skype, anywhere in the world!

Can I have lessons via my cell phone or mobile?

This depends on where you live. Please contact us for more details.

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The first thing worth mentioning is my gained self-confidence. Also, I passed my oral exam and was allowed to continue with my study. I have learnt a lot! It has always been very important to practice a foreign language with a native speaker.
Menno Nauta - Teacher, Holland